FAA bans drones over parts of New Jersey, violators could face criminal charges

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News on Dec 19, 2024

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NEW YORK — The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a month-long ban on drones for parts of New Jersey, citing “special security reasons.”

The Temporary Flight Restrictions cover nearly two dozen towns and cities, from Camden to Bayonne, Edison, Harrison and Jersey City. It prohibits uncrewed aircrafts from operating within a “nautical mile” of the airspace specified — much of it over “critical New Jersey infrastructure” — including from the ground up to 400 feet.

Those who violate the order “may be intercepted, and/or detained and interviewed by federal, state, or local law enforcement or other government personnel.” The FAA added it could also take administrative action, including imposing civil penalties and suspending or revoking the operators’ certificates, in addition to pursuing criminal charges.

The agency further warned the “United States government may use deadly force against the airborne [aircraft], it if is determined that the [aircraft] poses an imminent security threat.”

The ban — which will remain in effect until Jan. 17 — is the latest twist in the mysterious drone saga plaguing the Garden State. The sightings started back in November, in the days leading up to the Thanksgiving, mostly in the airspace over mid- and northern New Jersey.

In the weeks since, sightings have spread to nearby states, including in New York near LaGuardia Airport.

The FBI, in a joint statement with the FAA, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, said it has received more than 5,000 tips about drone sightings in the tristate area as of Monday.

“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the statement said.

“We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast,” it continued.

Other lawmakers, including President Joe Biden and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, have also repeatedly said the drones do not pose any threat, but it has done little to soothe worried residents, who continue to demand answers.

President-elect Donald Trump recently took to social media to address the drones, some of which have been spotted near his National Golf Club in Bedminster as well as the Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in Rockaway.

Temporary flight restrictions were issued for Bedminster and Picatinny Arsenal earlier this month and remain in place.

“Mystery drone sightings all over the country,” Trump wrote in a post shared to Truth Social on Friday. “Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!”